other option is to move mushy up to 3 and push everyone down to shakib up a spot and bring in an allrounder e.g. alok (shuvo, maybe even razzak) to bat at 7 and give us an extra bowling option. i'm really not confident with raqibul atm but the fact is he does have a good average in the ODI format, so i'm conflicted but maybe leaning toward him being in the team, of course this team without ash or aftab significantly diminishes the teams hitting ability but they often don't stay in long enough to make any difference anyway.

I agree. There definitely needs to a major rethinking about our now non-existent top and middle order batting. Imrul and Tamim have actually been quite solid in ODI's in the short span they have been together. Its the 3-6 position thats hurt us a lot. Mushfiq and Riyad have been our best batsmen apart from Tamim by a hundred miles. Playing them in the top six in my humble opinion is a no-brainer.

Rearrangement of the batting order is very much necessary as the current batting order is failing match after match.
1.Ash is not a material of #3.So i am interested to play Aftab there or Junaid(if fit) can be tried in the next match.
2.This is must at #4 i want to see either Mushy or Mahmudullah
3.Shakib is Ok at #5 but as he is out of form he can be shifted to #6 for the 3rd ODI
SO MY BATTING ORDER FOR 3RE ODI WILL BE
1.TIK
2.IMRUL
3.Aftab/Junaid
4.Mushy/Riyad
5.Shakib
6.Riyad/Mushy
7.Ash
8.NaeemPosted via BC Mobile Edition

i would still persist with ash, since he's had the 2nd highest runs scorer since Oct 2008, and since every top order bat (except tamim) has failed this series, his relative standing won't have gone down much. keep him till the england series.

but other than that, we need to make some changes, and we also need to prepare for a lineup without ash. two potential lineups:

1) tamim
2) imrul - if he continues to provide 50+ stands, why not keep him?
3) rahim - he's just the best we have for this position in ODIs.
4) sakib
5) ash/aftab - let them go boom in the final overs
6) naeem - both he and riyad can be moved up a slot to move ash/aftab down to 7
7) riyad
8) mashrafee
9) shafiul
10) razzak/rubel/nazmul
11) rasel/rajib

Match after match, Riyadh comes in at #8, and saves grace. How many more performances do we need from him to push him up the order? A batsman gets pushed up the order WHEN he is performing. All big teams do this. Riyad has already missed out on centuries because he had to turn down singles, or he ran out of partners. We can wait, he will perform badly later - a statistical reality. Do we push him up the order then?

The Ash era is over. It's time for Mushy, Riyad & Naeem to be pushed up the batting order.

Originally Posted by billah
Match after match, Riyadh comes in at #8, and saves grace. How many more performances do we need from him to push him up the order? A batsman gets pushed up the order WHEN he is performing. All big teams do this. Riyad has already missed out on centuries because he had to turn down singles, or he ran out of partners. We can wait, he will perform badly later - a statistical reality. Do we push him up the order then?

The Ash era is over. It's time to push Mushy, Riyad & Naeem to be pushed up the batting order.

I think current arrangement of batting order is based on coach's perception of player's ability to play new ball, spinner, and perhaps strike rate. For example, if we play Mahmudullah at No. 3, he may not be as successful as now. May be coach has doubt about his ability to play new ball, especially early in the inning. Same could be said for Mushfique. He is a middle order batsman because he plays spin very well. If we shuffle the batting order, it can have very adverse effect; likes of Mushfique,Mahmudullah may lose form, considering the fact that Ash and Aftab are unlikely to play well in any other position.

Originally Posted by SS
Doc any reason behind his stubborness not to reshuffle..he himself should go down the batting line to get his confidence back.

Current management want the top order to perform by keeping them in the top order so that we have a settled team in 2 years time. They don't want to unsettle the middle order which is already in good shape. This is a good approach for hard working players who are willing to learn and rectify their mistakes, not for our talented superstars.

Originally Posted by Miraz
Current management want the top order to perform by keeping them in the top order so that we have a settled team in 2 years time. They don't want to unsettle the middle order which is already in good shape. This is a good approach for hard working players who are willing to learn and rectify their mistakes, not for our talented superstars.

This strategy, however thought-out, goes against the conventional wisdom and common-sense.

All the other G8 teams reward a performing batsman by pushing him up the order. Oram - don't expect to see him coming at # 8 against the Aussies later this month. McCullum - his #1 spot will come under fire if he continues to fail.

Riyad's style, temperament, strike rate, ability to rotate the strike, composure, hitting power - the characteristics that have so sorely been missing in AA, should not come at #8. It's a waste. Mushy has to the most compact of our batsmen now in his style. He needs to be given more batting opportunities with real batsmen than with tail enders.

Originally Posted by Miraz
Current management want the top order to perform by keeping them in the top order so that we have a settled team in 2 years time. They don't want to unsettle the middle order which is already in good shape. This is a good approach for hard working players who are willing to learn and rectify their mistakes, not for our talented superstars.

Though it sounds nice, I wonder how the current no. 3-4-5 batsmen will give us any stability soon enough.

Originally Posted by billahRiyad's style, temperament, strike rate, ability to rotate the strike, composure, hitting power - the characteristics that have so sorely been missing in AA, should not come at #8. It's a waste. Mushy has to the most compact of our batsmen now in his style. He needs to be given more batting opportunities with real batsmen than with tail enders.

Wrong strategy. Plain and simple.

i agree riyad has all those attributes, but he's missing one key atribute that AA has in spades: inherent skill.

riyad i don't believe can bat in the top 4...#5 is the highest i would push him. but yes, #8 is perhaps insulting to his skills and productivity. naeem i think might have the skill to bat in the top 4, at least eventually. mushfiq i think could already be a top notch #3 in my opinion...even if he fails against express bowlers.

btw, he handled dale steyn on green tops with good bounce last time we toured SA. i think he hit 2 fifties, with a top score of 60 something. hooked steyn for two massive sixes also.